Wood barrels are commonly used to age wine and other beverages. Unfortunately, wood barrels are relatively expensive to make and have a relatively short operational life. For example, a high end barrel used for only the finest wines is typically made from French oak and is very expensive. Additionally, the chemical ability of the wood to effect and impart flavor nuances expires rapidly and a wood barrel can typically only be considered to be in its prime for two to three years, e.g. one to two vintages. Once the traditional wood barrel had exhausted its chemical ability to impart flavors on the liquid, i.e. has gone “oak neutral”, the conventional barrel is often sold on the used market or committed to lesser quality beverages. This creates a rapidly depreciating asset and investment for the beverage maker. One previous method for addressing this issue is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,284,476 issued to Roleder. As far as is permitted, the contents of U.S. Pat. No. 7,284,476 are incorporated herein by reference.
Moreover, traditional wood barrels have always allowed oxygen to pass through the wood construction of the barrel, thereby introducing micro-oxygenation (i.e. small amounts of oxygen) into the wine or other beverages during the aging process. However, when wine is aged in a non-breathing vessel such as a stainless steel tank, micro-oxygenation is not happening naturally anymore. Accordingly, alternative methods have been created in order to introduce oxygen into the liquid. Modern micro-oxygenation technology involves a process used in winemaking whereby oxygen is introduced into the wine in a controlled manner so as to precisely control the amount and rate of oxygen released into the wine while it is aging.
A typical micro-oxygenation process involves a large two-chamber device with valves interconnected to a tank of oxygen. In the first chamber the oxygen is calibrated to match the volume of the wine. In the second chamber the oxygen is injected into the wine through a porous ceramic stone or sintered stainless steel diffusers located at the bottom of the chamber. Unfortunately, this process has provided less than ideal results in barrels. For example, this process has increased space requirements as the oxygen chamber must be connected with tubes to each of the barrels.
Accordingly, new devices and processes are desired which can introduce micro-oxygenation into the liquid in a well-controlled manner, and which can impart flavors on the liquid, utilizing equipment that is simple, compact, reliable, durable and affordable.